Early Law School Admission Program

What is the advantage of early law school admission? 

The Early Law School Admission Program (ELSAP) saves a whole year of studies. A student can get their bachelor's and J.D. degrees in six years instead of seven, because the first year of law school counts towards the undergraduate degree.

Who can apply?

Only full-time freshmen taking classes on campus are eligible to apply for candidacy in the Early Law School Admission Program. Transfer students and online students are not eligible. Priority consideration is given to students with high GPAs at RMU and high standardized test scores.

How do I apply?

Meet with the pre-law advisor as soon as possible during your freshman year. You will join the Pre-Law Society, a student organization, and be part of a non-credit course online. In your second semester during freshman year, submit an application to the online course by the due date. It will include your RMU grades and standardized test scores. 

Is there an extra fee to apply? 

There is no additional fee to apply to ELSAP.

What are the program requirements?

Candidates must maintain a 3.4 or higher GPA and make appropriate academic progress as determined by the pre-law advisory committee, while receiving regular academic advisement by the program coordinator. They must also be active members of the RMU Pre-Law Society. Finally, they must take the LSAT by the fall of their third year and receive a score above the threshold for admission into the ELSAP program with a partner law school. 

Can I select any participating law school?

Each partner law school has its own unique criteria for an Early Law School Admission candidate to be admitted. Candidates for the program should thoroughly review with the RMU coordinator all partner law schools’ requirements to determine which partner law school is best for each candidate.

How well do I have to do on the LSAT?

Candidates in ELSAP are not automatically accepted to a partner law school, but must receive high enough LSAT scores to satisfy each partner law school’s criteria. ELSAP candidates will receive help in preparing for the LSAT and receive other advice from the RMU pre-law advisor concerning the application process. All partner law schools take the candidate's highest LSAT score, so candidates can take the test more than once.

What if I do not get a high enough LSAT score?

Candidates in the program who are not accepted finish out their final year at Robert Morris in their degree program. They can apply for law school during or after their completion of their final year. 

For the fourth year, am I an RMU student or a law school student? 

For the fourth year of the program (their first year in law school), students enroll in law school, but they are still categorized as undergraduate students, even though they are law students paying regular law school standard graduate tuition and fees. They remain active students as far as RMU is concerned, retaining their RMU email and library privileges. If they wish, students may continue to live on the RMU campus for the fourth year.

Am I eligible for financial aid?

Students enrolled in the 3+3 law program are typically eligible to receive undergraduate level financial aid while at RMU. This may include federal, state, and/or institutional scholarship aid. Once enrolled at the partner institution, the student should be considered graduate level for financial aid purposes, as determined by the other institution. Additional financial aid policy wording regarding accelerated programs can be found here."

Do my grades in law school affect my RMU grade point average?

No. Law school courses are transfer credits, which do not affect GPA.

When do I get my bachelor's degree?

Students get their undergraduate degree four years after they matriculate at RMU. They walk with their class at commencement, with a year of law school already completed.